Triangular pillow

ABSTRACT

A pillow comprising a pillow body having a triangular shaped cross-section is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the pillow comprises a first angle at a right angle; a second angle at an arcual angle; and a third angle at a plane angle. The width of the second and third angles are provided at 4 cm to 8 cm and the length of each side along the right angle of the pillow is provided at 8 cm to 22 cm. The pillow is structured such that the physical curvature of the user&#39;s neck vertabra is reasonably and comfortably maintained and supported when the user lies horizontally. The pillow is structured to adapt to the curvature along the head, neck, and chest of a user, such that the neck is relaxed and moderately drawn, while the muscular ligaments of the neck and small articulation of the neck vertebrae are automatically adjusted, thereby effectively protecting the neck vertebra.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 toChinese Patent Application no. 200620067416.6, filed Nov. 10, 2006, theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Aspects of the invention relate to a pillow, and more particularly to atriangle-shaped pillow.

2. Background

Currently there exist pillows designed to shape the physical curvatureof a human neck vertebra in a convex shaped manner so as to providecomfort to the neck in different positions. However, these existingpillows are not ideal in providing practical comfort or protection.Studies show that the reasons which contribute to the problem ofproviding adequate support and comfort with these pillows include 1) thedesigns of pillows having normally focused on only the structure of theneck without taking into account the arrangement of the entire head,thus neglecting the structure of the head and affecting proper neckprotection; and 2) since the cervical flexure bulges forward when thehuman body lies horizontally, the upper section of which is theoccipital bone bulges backward and the lower section of which is thethoracic vertebra bulges backward. Due to such a three-sectionrelationship among the head, neck and chest, the actual curvature islarger than the “cervical flexure” radian when the human body lieshorizontally. Therefore, it is difficult to protect the neck vertebra ifthe design is always limited to just the neck vertebra section.

Accordingly, a need exists for a pillow which takes into account thehead structure as a whole and not just the structure of a neck vertebra.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a triangular pillow which adapts tothe natural and physical curvature of the head, neck, and chest, therebyfully protecting the curvature of the neck vertebrae.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is atriangular pillow comprising a pillow body having a right-angledtriangular cross section. According to an embodiment of the presentinvention, the cross section of the pillow body comprises a first angleat a right angle; a second angle at an arcual (arcuate) angle; and athird angle at a plane angle.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the crosssection of the pillow body is a right angled isosceles triangle, whereina first angle of the right-angled triangle is a right angle; and asecond and a third angles are arcual angles.

The pillow is structured such that the arcual angle of the pillow bodyis designed to support the neck sufficiently, allowing the head to reston an inclined surface of the pillow body, forming a large curve alongthe head, neck, and chest of a user of the pillow when the user lieshorizontally, thereby effectively protecting the neck vertebrae.Furthermore, due to an inclined surface of the pillow, the weight of thehead shifts from the neck to the head, relaxing the neck vertebrae andmuscles, allowing the neck to be drawn moderately. The structure of thepillow results in an automatic adjustment in the muscular ligaments ofthe neck and small articulation of the neck vertebrae of the user thatlies upon the pillow. The triangular pillow of the present inventionthereby improves protection of the neck vertebra while providing asimple and easy to use structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pillow body ismade of flexible and elastic materials.

These and other embodiments of the present invention are further madeapparent, in the remainder of the present document, to those of ordinaryskill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more fully describe embodiments of the present invention,reference is made to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are notto be considered limitations in the scope of the invention, but aremerely illustrative.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a triangular pillow, according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a triangular pillow, according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a triangular pillow in use, according toan embodiment of the present invention, wherein the user is lyinghorizontally on the back.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a triangular pillow in use, according toan embodiment of the present invention, wherein the user is lyinglaterally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The description above and below and the drawings of the present documentfocus on one or more currently preferred embodiments of the presentinvention and also describe some exemplary optional features and/oralternative embodiments. The description and drawings are for thepurpose of illustration and not limitation. Those of ordinary skill inthe art would recognize variations, modifications, and alternatives.Such variations, modifications, and alternatives are also within thescope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention comprises apillow body in which the cross-section of the pillow body has a shape ofa right-angled triangle, wherein a first angle 1 is a right angle, asecond angle 2 is an arcual angle or acute angle, and a third angle 3 isa plane angle. In an embodiment, the second angle 2 is between about 4cm and about 8 cm wide; the third angle 3 is between about 4 cm andabout 8 cm wide; and the length of each side of the pillow along thefirst angle 1 is between about 8 cm and about 22 cm long.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention comprising apillow body having a cross-sectional shape of a right-angled isoscelestriangle, wherein a first angle is a right angle, and the other twoangles and are arcual (or acute) angles. The two arcual angles are bothno less than about 4 cm wide and between about 4 cm and about 8 cm wideexternally. The length of each side of the pillow body along the rightangle is between about 8 cm and—about 22 cm long.

The pillow body comprises three angular faces to serve as neck restingfaces. As shown in FIG. 2, there a three angular rest ends or restingedges (faces) of the pillow used for neck resting. A first rest end 4resides along one of the arcual angles of the pillow, a second rest end5 along the right angle of the pillow, and a third rest end 6 along theother arcual angle of the pillow. The pillow further comprises threeinclined surfaces to serve as head resting surfaces. As shown in FIG. 2,there are three planar surfaces between the rest ends of the pillow usedas head resting surfaces. In an embodiment, a first planar surface 7resides between rest end 4 and rest end 6; a second planar surface 8resides between rest end 4 and rest end 5; and a third planar surface 9resides between rest end 5 and rest end 6. The three planar surfaces andrest ends may be used selectively as desired by a user in variouspositions on the body for providing support.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pillow is shown in use when the user lieshorizontally. While resting on the pillow, the right angle of the pillowpoints toward the shoulders, the neck rests at an angular end and thehead rests upon an inclined surface, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. By this method of using the pillow, the arcual anglesufficiently supports the user's neck, the head rests on an inclinedface of the pillow, thus forming a large curve along the head, neck andchest of the user when the user lies horizontally.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the pillow is shown in use when the user lieslaterally. While the user lies on the side, the material used for thepillow allows the user's ears to comfortably rest on the angles of thepillow. The user's head displaces the elastic angled end to become flat.While lying on the side, the user's head may also displace a headresting surface such that the ears may comfortably rest along thesurface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pillow body ismade of any viable, flexible and elastic materials including but notlimited to sponge materials, sponge (PU), flexible plastics,polyurethanes (PU), latex, other elastomeric materials and combinationsthereof. The material used for the pillow has adequate tension to workwith the weight of a user's head and neck and allow the pillow to adjustin height and radian to maintain a proper supporting force along thecurvature of the neck vertebra. The terminal edges along the pillowsides, vertices or corners of the pillow may be curved or shapedaccordingly for further comfort.

Throughout the description and drawings, example embodiments are givenwith reference to specific configurations. It will be appreciated bythose of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can beembodied in other specific forms. Those of ordinary skill in the artwould be able to practice such other embodiments without undueexperimentation. For example, a user may selectively use the threeplanar surfaces and angular faces. The scope of the present invention,for the purpose of the present patent document, is not limited merely tothe specific example embodiments of the foregoing description, butrather is indicated by the appended claims. All changes that come withinthe meaning and range of equivalents within the claims are intended tobe considered as being embraced within the spirit and scope of theclaims.

1. A pillow comprising a pillow body having a triangular shapedcross-section, at least two resting edges along the pillow and threeplanar resting surfaces, wherein the cross-section includes a rightangle, an arcual angle and a plane angle.
 2. The pillow of claim 1,wherein a length of the pillow body along each side of the right angleis between 8 cm and 22 cm long.
 3. The pillow of claim 1, wherein awidth of the arcual angle is between 4 cm and 8 cm wide.
 4. The pillowof claim 1, wherein a width of the plane angle is between 4 cm and 8 cmwide.
 5. The pillow of claim 2, wherein a width of the arcual angle isbetween 4 cm and 8 cm wide.
 6. The pillow of claim 2, wherein a width ofthe plane angle is between 4 cm and 8 cm wide.
 7. The pillow of claim 3,wherein a width of the plane angle is between 4 cm and 8 cm wide.
 8. Thepillow of claim 5, wherein a width of the plane angle is between 4 cmand 8 cm wide.
 9. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the pillow body is madeof a flexible and elastic material.
 10. The pillow of claim 5, whereinthe flexible and elastic material is selected from a group consisting ofsponge, polyurethane, latex, flexible plastics and combinations thereof.11. The pillow of claim 1, wherein two of the resting edges are curved.12. A pillow comprising a pillow body having a cross section shaped as aright-angled isosceles triangle with two arcual angles, at least tworesting edges and three planar resting surfaces.
 13. The pillow of claim12, wherein a length of the pillow body along each side of the rightangle is between 8 cm and 22 cm long.
 14. The pillow of claim 12,wherein an external width of each of the two arcual angles is between 4cm and 8 cm wide.
 15. The pillow of claim 13, wherein an external widthof each of the two arcual angles is between 4 cm and 8 cm wide.
 16. Thepillow of claim 12, wherein a width of each of the two arcual angles isno less than 4 cm.
 17. The pillow of claim 13, wherein a width of eachof the two arcual angles is no less than 4 cm.
 18. The pillow of claim12, wherein the pillow body is made of a flexible and elastic material.19. The pillow of claim 12, wherein the flexible and elastic material isselected from a group consisting of sponge, polyurethane, latex,flexible plastics and combinations thereof.
 20. The pillow of claim 12,wherein two of the resting edges are curved.